Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark

Mary
Crown Princess of Denmark
The Crown Princess during a visit to the Faroe Islands in 2005.
The Crown Princess during a visit to the Faroe Islands in 2005.
Spouse Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark
Issue
Prince Christian
Princess Isabella
Full name
Mary Elizabeth
Titles and styles
HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat
Royal house House of Laborde de Monpezat
Father John Dalgleish Donaldson
Mother Henrietta Clark Horne
Born February 5, 1972 (1972-02-05) (age 37)
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Danish Royal Family

HM The Queen
HRH The Prince Consort

  • HRH The Crown Prince
    HRH The Crown Princess
    • HRH Prince Christian
    • HRH Princess Isabella
  • HRH Prince Joachim
    HRH Princess Marie
    • HH Prince Nikolai
    • HH Prince Felix
  • HRH The Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • HM The Queen of Greece
  • HH Princess Elisabeth
Extended royal family 

Mary Elizabeth, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat (Danish: Mary Elizabeth, Kronprinsesse af Danmark, Grevinde af Monpezat; née: Mary Elizabeth Donaldson; born: February 5, 1972) is the wife of Crown Prince Frederik, who is the heir to the Danish throne.

Contents

Early life

Mary was born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. She attended Clear Lake City Elementary School in Houston, Harris County, Texas from 1974 to 1975, Sandy Bay Infants School from 1976 to 1977, and Waimea Heights Primary School from 1978 to 1982. She completed her secondary education at Taroona High School and Hobart Matriculation College before studying at the University of Tasmania for five years.[1] On graduation Mary moved to Melbourne to work in her chosen career of advertising. Some months after the death of her mother in 1997, Mary travelled extensively through Europe and the United States. Upon her return to Australia Mary moved to live and work in Sydney. As a girl Mary was heavily involved in sport and other extracurricular activities both at school and outside. Mary's early love of horses led her to ride competitively as a teenager with her horse, Diana.

Family

Mary is the youngest of four children born to John and Henrietta Donaldson. Her parents emigrated from Scotland to Australia in 1963.

Mary has three older siblings:

Mary's father is Professor John Dalgleish Donaldson, born in Port Seton, near Edinburgh, Scotland, on September 5, 1941, an applied mathematician with a PhD from the University of Tasmania and a Professor of applied mathematics. His Bachelor of Science (BSc) was completed at the University of Edinburgh in 1963. In 1975 and has had an academic career at the University of Tasmania, and taught and researched in Houston, Oxford, South Korea and most recently in Denmark at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Aarhus.

Professor Donaldson married at Chalmers Memorial Church, in Port Seton, near Edinburgh, Scotland, on August 31, 1963, emigrated with his wife and parents to Tasmania in November 1963, and both naturalized in Australia. Mary's mother was Henrietta Clark Donaldson (née Horne), known as Etta, also born in Port Seton, near Edinburgh, Scotland, on May 12, 1942. She worked for many years at the University of Tasmania and before she retired she was the Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor. Etta died on November 20, 1997, following complications six weeks after a heart operation for a long-term heart condition.

In Oxford on September 5, 2001 John Donaldson married for the second time to English author and novelist Susan Elizabeth Donaldson, née Horwood, born in Oxford, who writes novels under several pseudonyms including Susan Moody[2]. In 2006 she taught creative writing at the University of Copenhagen. The couple currently live in Aarhus where Professor Donaldson teaches at the University of Aarhus. He will return to teaching at the University of Copenhagen next year, before retiring to France, according to recent reports

Mary's siblings live in Australia with their families. Jane (a pharmacist) and Patricia (an intensive care nurse) each have three children and John Stuart (a geologist) has two.

Her paternal grandparents, who also emigrated to Australia, were Peter Donaldson, born ca. 1911, who died during an airplane flight from Scotland to Tasmania, ca. 1978, age estimated 67, and wife, married in Edinburgh on 3 August 1938, Mary Dalgleish, known as May, born in 1914 and deceased in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, on 28 June 2002. Her maternal grandparents were Archibald Horne, born in 1911 and died on 14 December 1974, and wife, married in Gladsmuir, East Lothian, on 14 June 1941, Elizabeth Gibson Melrose, born in 1917 and died on 25 October 1958.

Education and career

Mary began elementary school in Clear Lake City, now Houston, Harris County, Texas, while her father was working there. On returning to Hobart she attended Sandy Bay Infants School, Waimea Heights Primary School and then Taroona High School in Tasmania. For the last two years of her secondary education Mary attended Hobart College from which she graduated. From 1989 to 1994 Mary did a combined degree in Commerce and Law (BCom.LLB) at the University of Tasmania. Mary later qualified for professional certificates in advertising and direct marketing. Mary worked for Australian and global advertising agencies after graduation including DDB Needham and Mojo Partners in Melbourne, then Young & Rubicam, Love Branding and Belle Property Group in Sydney. She also held a joint business interest in a company called Kingcash with Brent Annells, with whom she had a seven year relationship in the 1990s.[3] After leaving Australia, Mary taught business English in Paris. On moving to Denmark permanently she worked at Navision/Microsoft Business Solutions outside of Copenhagen.

Courtship and engagement

Mary Donaldson met Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at the Slip Inn [1] during the 2000 Summer Olympics on 16 September in Sydney. They conducted a long-distance relationship by phone, email and letter and Frederik made a number of discreet visits to Australia. On 15 November 2001 Anna Johannesen [2] of the Danish weekly magazine Billed Bladet named Mary as Frederik's girlfriend. Mary moved to Europe in December 2001 and while working as an English tutor in Paris she visited Denmark privately and was photographed attending weddings and christenings of friends with Frederik. She moved to Denmark in August 2002 and on 4 September 2002 Mary began working at Navision/Microsoft [3] in Vedbæk. Mary and Frederik were photographed during 2003 at various private outings in Denmark. On 24 September 2003 the Danish court announced Queen Margrethe intended to give her consent to the marriage at the State Council meeting scheduled for 8 October 2003.

Mary Donaldson and Crown Prince Frederik were officially engaged on October 8, 2003.

Marriage

Mary Donaldson and Crown Prince Frederik married on May 14, 2004 in Copenhagen Cathedral, in Copenhagen. Mary wore a wedding gown designed by Danish designer Uffe Frank and had a small bridal party which included her two sisters and her friend Amber Petty, a radio announcer on commercial radio in Australia. Frederik was supported by his brother Prince Joachim. Three of Mary's nieces, Erin and Kate Stephens and Madisson Woods, were flower girls; Frederik's nephew Prince Nikolai of Denmark and first cousin once removed, Count Richard von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth were pageboys. The wedding [4] was celebrated in Copenhagen and at Fredensborg Palace. The couple reportedly spent their honeymoon in Africa.

The monograms of Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary, Frederik's and Mary's combined monogram and Prince Christian's are all designed by Queen Margrethe.[5]

Citizenship and marriage agreement

The Danish Folketing (parliament) passed a special law (Mary's Law) giving Mary Donaldson Danish citizenship upon her marriage, a standard procedure for new foreign members of the royal family.[6] Mary was previously a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom. Formerly a Presbyterian, Mary became Lutheran. On entering the royal family, Mary signed a marriage agreement similar to those of her father-in-law and her commoner ex-sister-in-law. The agreement was subsequently updated in late 2006. The details of the first and second agreements have never been made public.

Children

At 1:57 local time on October 15, 2005 Mary gave birth to a boy at Copenhagen University Hospital. Frederik was present for the delivery and the little prince was healthy, weighed 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs) and measured 51 cm (20 ins). His name, Christian Valdemar Henri John, was announced at his christening on January 21, 2006 at Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen. He will be Christian XI on ascension to the throne after his father. Kings in Denmark are traditionally called either Frederik or Christian. Valdemar is a historically significant name in Denmark, associated with both the Danish royal family and the national flag the Dannebrog. Henri and John are the names of his two grandfathers.

On April 21, 2007 Mary gave birth for the second time at Copenhagen University Hospital at 16.02 local time. The newborn girl weighed 3.350 kg and was 50 cm tall.[7] The new princess is third in line to the throne after her father Crown Prince Frederik and her brother Prince Christian. The little princess was christened at Fredensborg Palace chapel on July 1, 2007.[8] The name of the new princess is Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe. Henrietta and Margrethe are the names of her two grandmothers. Ingrid is the name of her great-grandmother, Queen Ingrid, who passed away in November 2000, aged 90.

The Crown Princely couple recently announced in a press conference during the Beijing Olympics that they are ready to have more children in the future.

Royal life

After the wedding, in 2004, the couple went on a summer cruise of mainland Denmark on the royal yacht the Dannebrog, then to Greenland and to the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2005 during the celebrations for the 200th Anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, the royal family was involved in related events throughout the year. Frederik and Mary marked it in London, New York and in Australia, where Mary was made Honorary HCA Ambassador to Australia in the Utzon Room of the Sydney Opera House. Since becoming Crown Princess of Denmark, Mary has made a number of international visits and Frederik and Mary participated in the reburial ceremonies for Empress Maria Feodorovna in Denmark and Saint Petersburg. In the context of immigrant issues in Denmark, Mary has visited the disadvantaged migrant areas of Vollsmose (2006) and Gellerup (2007). Mary has played an active role in promoting an anti-bullying program based on an Australian model through the auspices of Denmark's Save the Children. Mary is also involved in a new campaign to raise awareness and safe practices among Danes about skin cancer through The Danish Cancer Society.[9] Mary is also an active patron of Denmark's third highest earning export industry, the fashion industry. In September 2007 Mary formally established the Mary Foundation, with capital from public and private donations, to advance cultural diversity and encourage a sense of the right to belong and contribute to society for those who are socially isolated or excluded.

As a native English-speaker[10] Mary's main priority from the time of her engagement was to master the Danish language. Mary has acknowledged this has been a challenge for her in several interviews at the time of her engagement and marriage.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Styles of
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
Reference style Her Royal Highness
Spoken style Your Royal Highness
Alternative style Ma'am

Titles and styles

Her official title in Danish is Hendes Kongelige Højhed Kronprinsesse Mary af Danmark, Grevinde af Monpezat

Honours

Arms

A new coat of arms has been designed for Mary (as Crown Princess and holder of the Order of the Elephant, see also Heraldry Australia). It has been hung in the Chapel of the Royal Orders at Frederiksborg Castle. The coat of arms and its details are not yet published on the Crown Prince Couple's official website.

Residences

The official residence of the Crown Prince family is The Chancellery House, an early 18th-century house within Fredensborg Palace, 40 km (25 miles) north of Copenhagen. It was previously the home of Frederik's maternal grandmother, Queen Ingrid. They also have a temporary apartment in Copenhagen at Amalienborg while renovations are completed on their permanent city residence, Amalienborg's Federik VIIIs Palace Frederik VIII (or Brockdorff's Palace) which was also the home of the Crown Prince's maternal grandparents, Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, formerly Princess Ingrid of Sweden.

Patronages

Since 2004 Crown Princess Mary has steadily worked to establish her relationships with various organisations, their issues, missions, programs and staff. Mary's patronages range across areas of culture, the fashion industry, humanitarian aid, support for research and science, social and health patronages and sport (golf and swimming). The organisations for which she is patron have reported positive outcomes through their relationship with Mary and there are various reports in the Danish media and on some of the websites of the organisations themselves about Mary being quite involved in her working relationship with them. Mary is currently involved in supporting anti-obesity programs and vaccination for children in the European Union through the World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe.

Mary's current patronages include cultural organisations [4] [5] [6], the Danish fashion industry [7] [8], humanitarian aid [9], research and science[10] [11], social, health and humanitarian organisations [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] (see Crown Princess Mary's inaugural speech for WHO Europe) and sporting organisations[22] [23]

Crown Princess Mary is also the Honorary Life Governor of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute based at the Garvan Institute/St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, a member of the International Committee of Women Leaders for Mental Health and a member of various sporting clubs (riding, golf and yachting). Mary lends her support to a number of other 'one off' Danish causes, industry events and international conferences convened in Denmark.

The Mary Foundation

On September 11, 2007 Crown Princess Mary announced the establishment of the Mary Foundation [24] at the inaugural meeting at Amalienborg Palace. The Foundation's aim is to focus on co-operative community initiatives to advance the understanding of cultural diversity and the principle of the right to belong. The intitial funds of DKK 1.1 million were collected in Denmark and Greenland and donated to Frederik and Mary as a wedding gift in 2004. In addition the Mary Foundation has a capital base of DKK 73.6 million comprising donations from eight co-founders. Crown Princess Mary is the chairman of eight trustees. See the press release announcing objectives, participants and other details about how the Foundation will function. The Mary Foundation aims to improve lives compromised by environment, heredity, illness or other circumstances which can isolate or exclude people socially. By creating opportunity and giving a sense of affiliation and belonging to community, the Foundation intends to improve individual lives and those of families.

References

  1. ↑ "HRH the Crown Princess." Government of Denmark. Accessed September 28, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Susan Moody - British Council Arts".
  3. ↑ Healey, Kelvin: Old flame ends his long silence, Sunday Tasmanian 23 May 2004.
  4. ↑ "Wedding 14 May 2004".
  5. ↑ "The Crown Prince and Crown Princess - Monograms".
  6. ↑ "Mary's Law".
  7. ↑ "A Princess is Born" (2007-04-22). Retrieved on 2007-04-22.
  8. ↑ "TRH The Crown Prince Couple - Christening" (2007-04-27). Retrieved on 2007-04-28. 
  9. ↑ "Kronprinsesse Mary åbner solkampagne".
  10. ↑ "Mary's big task".
  11. ↑ (Danish) Kongehuset - Aktuelt - Nyheder

External links